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In a survey of all malignant soft tissue tumors in the extremities and limb girdles in Finland between 1960 and 1969, only one alveolar soft part sarcoma was found among 246 tumors (0.4%). Another alveolar soft part sarcoma, diagnosed in 1976, was more thoroughly studied. There was evidence that the characteristic crystals of alveolar soft part sarcoma are formed from the dense granules. Both were PASM-positive at ultrastructural level. No monoamines were detected in the cells by formaldehyde-induced fluorescence. This is a further fact to nullify the theory of the paraganglionic origin of alveolar soft part sarcoma, but the question of the histogenesis of the tumor still remains open.

Synovitic symptoms and radiologically documented cystic lesions in several carpal bones and distal radius developed two years after the implantation of silicone rubber scaphoid prosthesis for pseudoarthrosis. Open biopsy revealed granulomatous synovitis and osteitis and foreign material in carpal tissues. Ultrastructurally dense material was found in the cytoplasm of histiocytic, often multinucleated cells. Electron-probe analysis of the material showed a definite peak for silicon, proving the causal relationship of symptoms and signs to the silicone rubber prosthesis.